Aircraft including wing panel and fuel tank assembly for same



July 28, 1931. 1. l. SIKORSKY s p AIRCRAFT INCLUDING WING PANEL AND FUELTANK ASSEMBLY FOR SAME Original Filed June 7. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l]y07fJ/Z0/ y INVENTOR BY Z ATTORNE July 28, 1931 I. I. SIKORSKY AIRCRAFTINCLUDING WING .PANEL AND FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY FOR SAME Original FiledJune '7. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 28, 1931.

1. l. VSIKORSKY AIRCRAFT INCLUDING WING PANEL AND FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY FORSAME.

Original Filed June '7, 1929- 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mental July as, 1931NITED STATES PATENT 'orrlcr.

IGOR I. SIKORSKY, OF LOBDSEIP, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB TO SIKOBSKYAVIATION CORPORATION, 03 WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OFINCLUDING WING PANEL AND FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY FOR SAME Originalapplication filed June 7, 1929, Serial No. 369,118. Divided and thisapplication filed August 12,

4 1929. Serial The present invention relates to improvements in aircraftof the amphibian type and panying drawings.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a multi-motor amphibian having an embodimentof the present invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a side elevation.

Figure d is a transverse vertical section through the center portion ofthe main plane,

the parts being broken away to better disclose features of the fuel tankstructure.

Figure 5 is a transverse section, on a larger scale, through the fueltank.

Figure 6 is a'plan of a portion of Figure 5. Figure 7 is a similar viewshowing in dotted lines certain structural elements outlying the'tank.

Referring to the drawings, in the several views of which correspondingparts are designated' by the same reference character, the

body-boat of the amphibian is designated 100 and shown as being anported beneath a main plane comprising right and left wings 101, 102,respectively, and a center section 103.

Lower win s 104 and 105 pro'ect laterally from the be y-boat beneath t eupper or main plane, and the two'sets of planes are interconnected andsupported by suitable truss struts preferably including duplicate setsofstruts 106, 107, 108, and 109. V Further the several planes andbody-boat are connected by additional struts and the amphibianillustrated is outri gers 116 and 117, whic project rearwar y from thecenter section of the main plane and support at their rear ends anempenn assembly designated 118.

As' e features of the invention hereinafter rovided I with described andclaimed may be embodied with other forms of amphibian aircraft than theone shown, it is not thought to benccessary to describe the structure ofthe latter in further detail.

- Two engines 146, 1a? are suspended from the center section of the mainplane, and

the tanks for supplying fuel and oil to such engines are disposed in anovel manner in said center section of the main plane.

Referring particularly to Figures 4: and 5, the center section ofthemain plane includes front and rear spars connected by suitablecompression members, and within the space between said spars arearranged the fuel and oil tanks.

The detail construction of the main plane and particularly that of thefront and rear spars of the center section thereof form the subjectmatter of another application.

For the purposes of the present case, it is believed to be suficient tonote that the front spar comprises upper and lower bulb-flanged T-bars164 and 165, the vertical flanges of which are connected by angle irontruss members 167, 16,8. The rear spar of the center section of the mainplane is formed by vertically spaced angle irons 190, 192, similar incross-sectional form to the bars 164, 165 of the front spar,

and the opposed vertical flanges ofthese top and bottom bars 190, 191are connected by two sets of truss members 192, 193.

The center section of the main plane also includes continuous ribs 223which project forward and rearward from the front and rear spars, andare raised and stre ened by truss members 228. The rear en s of all ofthe rib members 223 are connected by a ll-section bindin strip 231, andthe nose portions or fewer ends oi said members are enclosed in a nosebox 232.

' Blocks 230 of wood or other suitable material are preferably insertedbetween the ribs 223 and the top bar 164 of the front spars of theplane. I

As previously noted and as shown clearly in Figures 4 and 5, the fueltank are arranged in the space between the front and by or resting on ametal plate 244 which connects the lower bars 165 and 191 of the frontand rear spars, respectively. This bottom or tank supporting plate isreinforced on its under surface by a suitable number of angle ironstrips 245.

The invention contemplates providing a plurality of tanks. within thespace referred to and the front wall of each tank bears against woodenchocks 249 .which, as shown particularly in Figure 5, are securelyconnected to the vertical members of the top and bottom bars 164, 165 ofthe front spar.

The rear wall of each tank bears against a similar chock member 250which is secured to the vertical flanges of the top and bottom members190, 1 91 of rthe rear spar. Preferably, as shown in Figure 5, this rearwall and cooperating chock are inclined forward from the top to thebottom of the tank.

The structure is further strengthened by angle irons 256' which extendacross the top of the tank and are connected at their ends to lugs 185rising from the top members of the front and rear spars. Strips orsheets 251 of suitable cushioning material are shown as interposedbetween the top, bottom and endwalls of the tank and the adjacent frameparts. w

The top of the tank is of substantially aerofoil' contour, thecontourbeing completed by nose members 252 and tail members 253 which arerespectively connected to the front and wooden filler blocks 254,255 areprovided-on the top and bottom bars of the spars to maintain the members252 and 253 in the desired spaced relation.

As shown, the covering 262 ofthe center sectlon of the main plane,within which the fuel tanks are arran ed, extends over the aforesaidspacing bloc s 254 and 255, and is gzciured thereto by reinforcingstrips 263 and Inter-'iorly each of the fuel tanks is provided withvertically extending bafiies 257 and 258 extending substantially atright angles to each other for the purpose of preventmg surgmg of theliquid in the tank.

Each tank is, of course, provided with suitable control mechanism, thereference numeral 259, for example, indicating a gauge operatmg element,260 a vapor escape tube, and 261 a filling openixpg which is providedwith a suitable cap closure.

Further each tank is provided at its bottom with a draw-ofl' well 246which projects below the supporting plate 244, and with a dump valve 248by operating which the contents of the tank may be instantly discharged.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim as new is: A I

Li-In an amphibian, a body boat member,

retractable landing mechanism fastened to said body boat, a main planesection above .mechanism fastened to said body bers at intervals, meansconnecting the lowerportions of said spar members, and tanks supportedon said means between the comtractable landing gear mechanism fastenedto said body boat member.

2. In an amphibian, a body boat member, retractable landing mechanismfastened to said body boat. a main plane above said body member insymmetricalrelation to the longitudinal axis of said body member andfastened thereto, said plane including front and rear spar members,compression members extending between said spar members at 1nter'vals.means connecting the lower portions of said spar members, chocks on saidspar members having upwardly divergent o posed faces, and tanks fittingbetween said checks intermediate the compressionmembers and supported onsaid connecting means directly above said retractable landinggearmechanism fastened to. said body boat member. c

3.- In an amphibian, a body boat member, retractable landing mechanismfastened to said body boat, a main plane above said body pressionmembers directly above said remember in symmetrical relation to thelongitudinal axis of said body member and fastened thereto, said planeinclud ng front and rear spar members, compresslon members extendingbetween said spar members at intervals, tanks in the compartments formedsaid body boat, a main plane above said body member in symmetricalrelation to the longitudinal axis of said body member and fastenedthereto, said plane including front and rear spar members, compressionmembers connecting said spar members at-intervals, a tank in the comartment formed by said spars and compression members, a late connectingthe lower portions of. the ont and rear spar members and supporting thetank. and strips underlying sald plate and secured at their ends to thespar members directly above said retractable .landing gear oat member.

5. In an amphibian, a body boat member, retractable landing mechanismfastened to said body boat, a main plane above said body member insymmetrical relation to the longitudinel axis of said bod member andfastened thereto, said plane including front and rear spar members, comression members connecting the spar mem ers at intervals, tanks in thecompartments formed by said.

spars and compression members, 21 late connecting the lower: portions ofthe rent anal rear spar members and supportin the tanks, and stripsoverlying the tops 0 the tanks and secured at their ends to said sparmembers directly above said retractable landing gear mechanism fastenedto said bocly boat member.

Signed at College Point, Long Island in the county of Queens and Stateof New York,

this 24th day of June, A. D. 1929 IGOR I SIKORSKY.

